Racine mother accused of beating her son has been charged

RACINE (WITI) -- 26-year-old Kimberly Rickert of Racine is accused of beating her son -- and has now been charged in the case.

Rickert faces one count of physical abuse of a child (intentionally cause bodily harm).

The criminal complaint in the case indicates on March 26th, an investigator received a call from a Human Services worker who had received a call from the Janes Elementary School reporting "multiple loop marks" on Rickert's child's back.

The officials met with the child at the school and observed the marks, according to the complaint.

The criminal complaint indicates officials met with a man who used to date Rickert, who said he spends time with the boy and serves as a sort of mentor for him.

That man told officials he boy came to him and showed him some injuries on his body -- and told the man his mother had struck him several times with a coat hanger -- according to the criminal complaint. The man told officials Rickert had told him she had beaten the boy when she discovered him naked underneath covers with another child.

The man told officials when she got home with the boy, Rickert said she struck him with a belt several times. She described the belt as a plastic or rubber belt -- according to the criminal complaint.

The boy was later examined and photographs were taken of his injuries.